that it fhould impofe conviction, and compel obedience. The depravity however, which hath rejected Religion, hath often borne, as the Devils, who acknowledged Chrift, an unwilling teftimony to its worth; fulfilling the prophecies which it unfolds, and affording a ftriking contraft to its character, in the unhappy objects, whom it hath haraffed. When the Ifraelites became children of tranfgreffion, and inflamed themselves with idols under every green tree, it was to flay the children in the valleys, under the clifts of the rocks *. And it would be but too obvious to point out an aggravated counterpart of the effects of apostasy in modern times. Not the pride which hath rejected Religion; not the defection which hath renounced its laws: but that pretended attachment which hath changed its principles, and kindled “ a strange fire on God's altar," hath effected the greatest injury; here hath the malignant fpirit difplayed his moft fatal enmity, and bruised with too fuccefsful fubtilty the heel of the Meffiah. That fpeculative and delufive fancies fhould have been framed on that general *Ifaiah, chap. Ivii. ver. 4, 5. See alfo 2 Kings, chap. xvi. ver. 3. Jeremiah, chap. xxxii. ver. 35. perfuafion, perfuafion, which refulted from a view of the external evidence of a Supreme Being, was but an illuftration of the vanity of human reafon, left to build its own fchemes, and to expofe its own futility. But, that any prefumptuous folly, or corrupt design, should dare to change the pofitive laws of acknowledged revelation, indicated the most prodigious excess of human depravity. While the glory of God's prefence was continued among the Ifraelites, and fucceffive prophets watched over the fidelity of the revelations which they had communicated, it was difficult, if not impoffible, for any falfifi cation of the divine laws to pafs undetected; and the reverence which the people invariably entertained for the facred writings, fecured their obfervance of the Mofaic precept, of not "adding unto the word, or of dimi"nifhing from it *." The prophet, who uttered even the deceptions of his heart, was punished for the iniquity, to which he was acceffary; and when the roll of God's wrath was burnt, by the daring impiety of the op Deut. chap. iv. ver. 2. Jofeph. cont. Apion. 1. i. preffor, preffor, whofe ears were offended at its threats, the delegated minifters of the Almighty were commanded to take again another roll, and to renew the denunciations of the divine refentment. Hence it was, that though " Ju"dea, the place of God's throne, and the 66 place of the foles of his feet, where he "dwelt in the midft of the children of If "rael," was was "defiled by the carcafes of "their kings, in their high places, and in "their fetting of their threshold by his thresh"old, and their posts by his pofts," it was not till long after the facred line was clofed, that we hear of the word of God being made of none effect, by the "tradition of "the Elders," and of " the teaching for doc"trines the commandments of men." The Hebrew Priesthood, fupported with ample and defined maintenance by the liberal provifion of the law, had no interest to pervert its precepts, with defign to profit by the delufion of their nation. The Scribes and the Pharifees, who laboured for pre-eminence by the affectation of fuperior fanctity, encum * Ezekiel, chap. xliii. ver. 7. Kings or Idols. See Leșit. ch. xxvi. ver. 30. Jeremiah, chap. xvi. ver. 18. bered bered the external fervice enjoined by the written law with traditionary ceremonies and oral precept: folicitous to conceal the inward corruption of their heart, they impreffed with the feal of fanctity the formal works of outward obfervance; interpreted the Scriptures by fallacious expofition; evaded its moral obligations by the pretence of facred restrictions, and diftorted its doctrines in accommodation to worldly intereft. Objects of Chrift's keenest reproaches, they were expofed with detected pollution to the abhorrence of mankind, and ftand recorded for a depravity, darkened with the deepest shades of hypocrify and guilt. Of the rejection of the Gospel by the unworthy, Chrift foretold the certainty-of the corruption alfo of the righteous principleof the falfe teachers who fhould arife, with prophetic affurance he fpake. With precife declaration likewife did thofe whom he had inftructed foretel of the herefies which the flesh would generate *. With minute delineation did they defcribe the character of that man of fin," or "mystery of iniquity," 1 Cor. chap. xi. ver. 19. Gal. chap. v. ver. 20. 2 Pet. chap. ii. ver. 1. which which already worked in the time of the Apostles; prefigured as oppofing and exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped *. In confidering the effect of those errors, which, though drawn from the fources of human invention, were permitted gradually to intermingle with the doctrines of Revelation, we perceive the most fatal completion of the divine predictions; and mark with regret the change of that law, which went forth with falutary publication to the world. That the stone, which many builders, to their own confufion, rejected, fhould become a rock of offence to thofe alfo who profeffed to raife their fabric on its foundations, is a fubject of fearful reflection. The imagination lingers on the theme with a forrow proportioned to the folly and perverfeness of mankind, anxious fully to ascertain the causes of a delusion so injurious to the effential interests of Christianity. The retrospect of error is ferviceable, where it tends to vindicate the leffons of wisdom. The vicious inclinations of the human heart furnish the sure and unceafing incitements to |